A Pastor's Wisdom Addendum III: The Church is NOT a Business

Before I leave the idea of having a coach, there is one thing I’d like to make clear:  I don’t believe that a church is a business.   But I haven’t always believed this.

 I would say that a huge portion of the church has been heavily influenced by a church model that is actually founded more on best business practices than on biblical faithfulness.    And, in fact, for a number of years my approach to serving a church was largely shaped by this model.  I was less a pastor and more a “leader” functioning as a CEO.  I read a business/leadership book a week, faithfully attended church “leadership” conferences, and it was from these venues that I learned what I sought to implement in “my” church.

Certainly there were (and are) positives in this.  Taking the gift of leadership seriously and diligently developing it can only be to a church’s health and advantage.  But using a business model as the dominant way of doing church, and of thinking of my role in the church, has increasingly raised some very real questions for me.

In the business world, success comes from collecting data, analyzing it according to well thought out formulas, and using it to develop, implement, and evaluate winning strategies.  Companies achieve their goals largely on the strength, intelligence, and foresight of their leaders.  God does not need to show up for them to accomplish their plans and purposes.

Historically, however, the church has been different.  Her leaders have been formed through diligently studying the Scriptures.  It has been more important to understand the Gospel of Matthew than Jim Collins’ Good to Great (a very fine book which I list here as but an example); more important to follow the example of the Apostle Paul than Bill Gates; more important to be familiar with the life of King David than the incredible accomplishments of Southwest Airlines.

In the pages of Scripture, we get a very different model for how the church is to operate.  Success there does not depend on a person’s brilliance, their adherence to the latest best practices, or their ability to master ingenious strategies.  It depends on God; on being “empowered” by the Holy Spirit.   We don’t “market” Jesus or what the church has to offer; we become what God is calling us to be and let that speak for itself.  We don’t “sell” the Gospel or manage customers, commodifying both the teachings of Jesus and the people we are called to serve.   And language really does matter in how we think about these things.

And perhaps most counter cultural of all, we don’t necessarily pursue success; we pursue faithfulness.  The people we meet in Scripture are so often are failures.  Many appear to be inconsequential and insignificant.  The secret of their “success” is their radical reliance on God, and their faithfulness in following His lead.

Obviously, this does not have to be an either/or.   One can study Scripture and business.  All truth is God’s truth, and principles that succeed in the secular institutions will often work in the church as well.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean we should adopt them.  Clearly, one system is going to be dominant, the basis and grounds we use to evaluate what we do and why.  My contention is  that Scripture, in the stories it tells, the approach to God it teaches, and the history it invites us to be a part of, is meant to be that foundational system.

Otherwise, instead of being the sacred places they were meant to be, our churches will only become more and more like the world around them; like businesses chasing the latest market niche.

Comments

[riddle]

great stuff Rob!

[Michelle Van Loon]

I found my way over here via your initial post on the topic at Jesus Creed, and am grateful I came back here to read this post.

A lot of that leadership stuff in the church carries the scent of human ambition, doesn't it?

[Deacon & Usher]

Usher: I think he's almost go it Deak, but only one thing makes me twitch

Deacon: What Usher?

Usher: Sounds like his goals and purposes are still his and not God's

Deacon: So you think he still doesn't get the fact that the "church" (Sunday morning service) cannot be the place where people get discipled?

Usher: Yeah Deak, - but I guess he's one of those that is stuck with a vocation he's lived is whole life and if he came to this realization - what else would he do?

[Brittania]

Well written article.